The Theology of Crypto and Bitcoin

I’m not a true believer in crypto-currencies, there’s obviously a bubble for the space as a whole. And true believers are going to gain and lose a whole lot of value when that bubble pops. BUT, if you don’t recognize Bitcoin (and more importantly crypto) has a fundamental value and market viability as a new tech that’s been genuinely added to the economy, then you probably missed all fundamental market changes in your lifetime. The finance sector, the housing sector, internet and tech innovations galore, all these spaces have evolved dramatically in our lifetimes, and they’re here to stay (as much as one can predict the future at least).

Crypto is another one of these spaces, a technological innovation, that has been officially added to the economy and it’s here to stay too! Today, at the time I write this, reveals the new ground of viability of the face of this tech. With $10,000 per Bitcoin (at the time of this post) we now can see the significance of this tech and why it represents the value of the crypto space and technology as a whole, despite the wholes’ inflated price tag of crypto-currencies in general. And it will represent that tech space as a whole for the foreseeable future. You’d be wise to get in and take profits while you still can, and if you know how to do so. But that’s not the point of this post.

You don’t have to get in now. But one day we will all be using crypto based tech whether we like it or not, just like you never thought you’d regularly associate with people more so on social media than face to face (like you’re doing now), or text more than you call people. The ways of the world change. Bitcoin represents one of these really trendy, but important new changes. But I say all this very aware I’m a Christian first, and I’m training to be a theologian, so it is my obligation to let you know the theological implications of this change. So stop the lust for the quick buck and remember you’re a free moral agent. Act like it. And ponder these 3 points about crypto.

1. Money is becoming language. If you get out of debt or outgrow it with investments and hard work you can use this language to speak to the world. Learn to speak good words. Train your thoughts now to use all language for the kingdom. Render your words unto the Lord. Let’s learn to tithe our languages.2. Crypto is yet another marker to the exponentially decentralization of technological interaction and its exponential growth in our lives. This means exponential growth of tech in your life will rule you, or you’ll rule it, and the same goes for your most common social relationships. Learn now to use tech for good, Good for yourself (improve yourself), and others; connect for the better of another not because they can benefit you in some potential pyramid scheme. If we seek out other perspectives, don’t get delusional in our technological spaces...Listen, we can keep consensus over power, and dignity over difference. Be all things for all people, and tech helps you ground yourself for God and others. Utilize it wisely.3. Crypto is the demand for ethics with the information part of our lives. Communication and technology mean you’ll be able to share yourself in ways you never even would have thought of otherwise. But again who rules who? Why are you communicating in these dramatically new ways? These questions demand us to hear our responsibility, it's calling. Any tech innovation demands we instrumentalize it and moralize it. Crypto is not different. We must learn to use it, use it well for ourselves and others. But we must learn to moralize it. Apply it as an expression of light over darkness, truth over lies, goodness over badness.

So, how do we pull these 3 points together theologically? Easy, we do it in love, by the power of the Spirit, in solidarity with our local churches. What good is screaming how important your internet cause is if you have not taken care of yourself, and the ones you’re screaming at. (I think we all have sinned here.) We do not get to define who our enemies are, that’s their job. We are to relieve them of that unreasonable duty. But are we doing that in reality? No, in America evangelicals are one of the least morally credible sets of people in the nation. And I say that sadly and embarrassed because I am an evangelical!

We were born again to learn and teach IN love. Truth for truth’s sake in a technological culture turns truth into control, and for the control of people rather than an invitation to the ultimate reality. God grounds his grace in his freedom not his control. I once heard John Cobb say these powerful words in an interview, “the power of God is love, and this love is collaborative.” Tech should be a grace in your life bound in mutuality and respect of others.

Don’t forget Christians, we are made out of 2 important realities we receive by grace through faith. God is real, and Christ is Lord. The Spirit is the breath of this reality compelling us to share this revelation, this greatest of all truths with her. The Holy Spirit is truth and without love she is not with us, but with the other. Learn, use, share crypto in love or die.

Much love. And enjoy the new gains from Bitcoin, and computers, and entertainment online. But don’t get lost in it. It isn’t real, and it isn’t Lord unless you make it so.